Commerce Dept. Orders Anthropic to Restrict Foreign Access to AI

Commerce Secretary imposes export controls on advanced AI models

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has ordered Anthropic to obtain government licenses before providing its most advanced artificial intelligence models to foreign nationals anywhere in the world, according to a letter obtained by Bloomberg News.

The directive, dated June 13, 2026, specifically targets Anthropic's Fable 5 and Mythos 5 AI systems. Lutnick warned the AI company that failure to comply could result in both criminal and civil penalties. The letter did not explain the specific national security rationale behind the restrictions, but cited existing U.S. laws that permit the government to impose export controls on civilian technologies that could potentially be used for intelligence purposes by adversarial militaries.

Unprecedented reach of AI export restrictions

The order represents a significant expansion of export control enforcement in the AI sector. Unlike traditional export restrictions that focus on physical goods crossing borders, Lutnick's directive applies to digital access granted to foreign nationals regardless of their location—meaning even foreign nationals within the United States would require Commerce Department approval to access these models.

Anthropic must now navigate a licensing process with the Commerce Department before granting access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 to any non-U.S. citizens. The letter provides no timeline for how quickly such licenses might be processed or what criteria the department will use to evaluate applications.

Why it matters

This action signals the U.S. government's willingness to treat cutting-edge AI systems as strategic assets subject to the same export control framework traditionally reserved for weapons technology and sensitive dual-use equipment. For AI companies, it creates operational complexity around customer access, employee permissions, and international collaboration. The precedent could reshape how American AI firms structure their research teams, deploy products globally, and partner with international organizations—particularly if similar restrictions are applied to other companies or models.

Implications for the AI industry

The restrictions arrive as competition intensifies among nations to lead in artificial intelligence development. By invoking export control authority over AI models, the Commerce Department is asserting that these systems pose potential national security risks if accessed by foreign entities.

For Anthropic and potentially other AI developers, the licensing requirement introduces uncertainty into business operations, research partnerships, and product deployment. Companies may need to implement new verification systems to confirm the citizenship status of users and obtain advance government approval for international collaborations.

The details were first reported by Bloomberg News, based on the letter sent last week by Secretary Lutnick to Anthropic.